Marvellous Malaysia

1. Known as the “Singing Lawyer”, the “People’s Singer”, the “Patriot Singer” and the “Elvis Presley of Malaysia”.

Sudirman was Malaysia’s pride and joy.

Word is, the composer, lawyer, writer, cartoonist, entrepreneur and actor was able to sing and sketch simultaneously.

He’s Malaysia’s first to appear on the cover of the Malaysian Business and Asian Business magazine and was very well known for his charity work

He would have continued to do much more if he didn’t collapsed while singing at Butterworth, Penang.

He died in 1992 at the age of 37 in his sister’s house in Kuala Lumpur after suffering from pneumonia for 7 months.

Point is, don’t ignore that lingering cough or nagging chest pain.

Get it sorted before it’s too late!

2. I have faded memories of a visit to Malaysia’s Green Bowl or Cameron Highlands – one of the most fertile agricultural spots in the country

This prime cropland has it all – moderate temperatures, high altitude, abundant rainfall, long hours of sunshine and well-drained soil.

All the necessary attributes to grow the best teas

Tea, as you know, is very much like wine, the conditions in which the crop is grown have great influence on its final character.

And BOH’s tea gardens never fail to produce tea with superb characteristics – bright and brisk complemented by a delightful aroma.

And just in case you’re wondering why it’s called BOH tea

BOH stands for Best of Highlands.

3. Malaya is the only place in the world where the war against communism was won.

The 12 year guerrilla warfare conducted by communist forces was finally putdown in 1960.

This period was known as the Malayan emergency – the colonial government’s term for the conflict.

The rubber plantations and tin mining industries had pushed for the use of the term “emergency” and not “war” cuz otherwise their losses would not be covered by insurance

But… despite the communists’ defeat in 1960, communist leader Chin Peng renewed the insurgency in 1967 and this time it lasted until 1989, and became known as the Communist Insurgency War or the Second Malayan Emergency. Although thee Australian and British armed forces had fully withdrawn from Malaya by this time, the insurgency still failed.

4. Eurycoma longifolia or more commonly known as Tongkat Ali is a small tree with thick, deep, and straight roots found mostly in the forest hills of Malaysia

It’s also called the Malay Viagra because it’s shown to have a testosterone-like effect on mice.
Although there’s not a lot of scientific evidence to support this claim, this natural aphrodisiac has been used in Malaysia for years and years by men to increase sexual desire, libido, sexual performance and to treat erectile dysfunction.

Tongkat ali is also used by bodybuilders to increase muscle mass and overall strength
And even when you go local cafes and coffeeshops, it’s not uncommon to see on the menu – tongkat ali infused “power drinks” combined with coffee and ginseng for that added oomph!

But go easy on those though because too much of it can cause insomnia, anxiety, and restlessness.

5. Betel nuts, the dried seed of the Areca or Pinang palm tree, are prized for their mildly narcotic and supposedly aphrodisiac qualities.

Chewing it is said to freshen the breath, relax the mind, and stimulate passion.
Originating from India, this addictive habit is the Asian parallel to tobacco chewing.

Usually a pan leaf is smeared with lime paste, then packed with boiled areca nut and spices, rolled into a quid then chewed until it reddens the mouth.

The ritual chewing of this nut used to be common across Malaysia, but is mainly confined to rural areas today.

In the past, considered an attractive status symbol, brides would chew betel nut to blacken their teeth

Today, betel nut decorations are still presented at weddings and festivals as a gift to signify love in marriage.